London Fashion Week highlighted a few ethical brands that are paving the way through a broken apparel and textile system. The fact is that a majority of fashion companies don’t monitor their individual supply chains to ensure that there is minimum impact on the environment, toxic chemicals are not being used, and human rights are not being abused. Many times, the fashion company may sign a contract with one factory that then subcontracts the work to an unauthorized factory to fulfill the order unbeknownst to the fashion company. Thankfully, there are a few retailers out there that are no longer willing to participate in this unethical treatment of people or the planet. Join me in being a responsible consumer and show the support of our dollars (or votes) to the groundbreaking companies that are changing the face of fashion one consumer at a time.

Sustainability reporting is a great way for consumers to have a better understanding a company’s of the environmental, economic and social impact. When done right, which generally means that it is certified by a regulatory organization, this is an important tool that many companies can use to showcase their efforts to participate in global change.

This is beautiful sight for green technologies! In 2012, Apple upgraded their facilities so that the data centers are now running on 100% solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal. They also updated their corporate facilities so that they are now powered by 75% renewable energy (previously 35% a year ago).

Nowadays, it’s hard to image an office that doesn’t already have an established recycling program but there may be room for improvement. My current establishment offers very little in the way of resources for recycling but this guide may be the path to inspire change. I’m looking forward to using the guide to get the necessary buy-in from the management team to implement an all inclusive office recycling program. There is a really great opportunity here to make a difference at the corporate level. Check it out! I’d love to hear success stories or tips on how to get our colleagues on board.

Buying in bulk is a great way to consume in a more environmentally friendly manner while saving almost 90% of the cost of packaged foods and dramatically reducing waste sent to the landfill. It may be a bit intimidating at first if it is an unfamiliar process to you but it’s extremely similar to purchasing produce. In loading up on product you have the choice to bring your own container (just be sure to have it weighed prior to filling), bringing reusable cloth bags or using the container (or bag) provided by the vendor. The bulk aisle is priced by the pound but the consumer can purchase as much or as little as they choose so feel free to get recipe specific by only getting a couple tablespoons needed for your recipe. To avoid being overwhelmed when acclimating to bulk buying, begin by familiarizing yourself with one section then moving on to the next once you’re more comfortable. Happy shopping!

What a neat way for Starbucks to promote their goal of increasing contribution to going green. The goal is to increase the amount of consumers that they serve with reusable cups by 5% through offering an affordable alternative to disposable cups. What a awesome attainable way to decrease our individual global footprints!

Way to go San Francisco! The city diverts 80% of its waste from the landfill and should be at 100% (or more – yes that’s right) in the next few years. Every city should take a take a lesson from nature where nothing is wasted and implement the Cradle to Cradle program. Think of the possibilities!

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“On the surface, the bill does include some discretionary funding for things like organic farming research and support for beginning farmers. But that’s just it. It’s discretionary, not mandatory (like the direct payments), making it highly likely that it will disappear in the annual appropriations process.”

Is something always better than nothing? In the case of the farm bill extension that was buried in Tuesday’s last minute fiscal cliff deal, maybe not.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) calls the deal — which will provide $5 billion in subsidies to industrial-scale corn, soy, and wheat farmers while short-changing local food, organics, and beginning farmers, and decimating on-farm conservation efforts — “deeply flawed.” The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), meanwhile, has referred to it as “blatantly anti-reform,” while the Union of Concerned Scientists calls it “a giant step backward” and “a blow to farmers who want to grow healthy foods and the consumers who want to buy them.” The National Young Farmers Coalition was also “incredibly disappointed with the results.”